The New President’s First Job

Dave Sussman

Nov 11, 2016

Congratulation to the unlikely new President. I was personally very happy to see the polls so wrong and especially for President Elect Trump to be handed a Republican House and Senate. While 2018 also looks lined up to be a GOP friendly election, the next 2 years is when the iron will be hottest. In other words, the time to strike starts day one: January 20th. President Trump, before your head hits the pillow in your new 1600 PA Ave digs, your first signature should be to repeal the financial catastrophe that is Obamacare.

My ex (we’re still very close) has suffered through stage four cancer and her 2017 rates will go through the roof. Even with the ACA ‘subsidies’, her monthly premium will now approach $1,000 a month. Her 2015 rates were approximately $400 a month. Yes, beautiful minds, that’s a 150% increase in just over a year. She is told her only option would be to go to a lower plan which would require she ditches her Oncologist who has kept her alive (he won’t take lower plans). In addition, my personal rates have also increased 22%. This is not just unaffordable, but devastating for families like mine, yours and even those who supported Obamacare.

President Trump needs to correct this with some finesse, and he has the votes to do it. An outright repeal is required, not defunding or strangling it with budgetary shenanigans, but killing it dead and dumping it in the dustbin of history. Assuming the GOP has 52-53ish Senators, this would require picking off 7-8 more Democrats. Who better than those seeking re-election in 2018?

Yes, there will be threats of Democratic filibusters. Trump, the Republicans and all of us must educate wary citizens that repealing Obamacare would not cause folks to lose their insurance (those 20 million souls the Obama administration keeps mentioning). The alternative to the government funded largesse would be PRIVATE Health Savings Accounts. This will protect those who can least afford insurance and stop the financial hemorrhaging for the rest of us who are footing the bill. Add that to a more competitive environment by opening up state lines and we would see lower costs, more affordable options and more Doctors willing to re-enter the marketplace. In other words: #FreeMarkets!

Start with this Mr. Trump and have Kellyanne Conway write your ‘splainers to the folks. Sell it the way you sold your candidacy. Inform us that without the repeal our rates will continue even further upward for 2018, 2019, etc. You will have the people on your side.